Metal hydride hydrogen storage and supply systems for electric forklift with low-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cell power module

A novel hydrogen storage system for a RX60-30L 3-tonne electric forklift (STILL), equipped with a GenDrive 1600-80A fuel cell power module (Plug Power) has been developed. The system combines a compressed H-2 composite cylinder (CGH2) and a liquid-heated-cooled metal hydride (MH) extension tank which is thermally integrated with a power module. The MH extension tank comprises a MH bed formed according to an advanced solution to provide easy activation of the MH material and fast H-2 charge/discharge. The system has the same hydrogen storage capacity (similar to 19 Nm(3) H-2 or 1.7 kg) as the separate CGH2 tank charged at P = 350 bar, but at a lower H-2 charge pressure (<= 185 bar). A 15 min cycle refuelling provides the forklift with full-load operation (according to VDI-60 protocol) during >3 h, or 2 to 4 working shifts in a real industrial environment. The work also presents a hydrogen refuelling station (dispensing pressure up to 185 bar) with integrated MH compressor which has been developed for forklift refuelling. (C) 2016 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.